22. October 2024

ARQIS advised Deichmann SE on the acquisition of shoe trademark rights from fashion group Esprit, providing advice on all insolvency law aspects. Deichmann SE has signed a binding agreement with Esprit for the acquisition of the shoe trademark rights and other intangible assets. The creditors' committees of the seven insolvent German Esprit companies and the insolvency monitor have already given their approval, as has the group holding company Esprit Holdings Ltd. in Hong Kong.

On 1 August 2024, the Local Court of Düsseldorf opened the insolvency proceedings in self-administration for seven German Esprit companies. Deichmann has been a licensee of Esprit since 2019 and has been selling shoes of the fashion brand ever since. By acquiring the trademark rights, Deichmann can continue to offer the shoe collections in the long term.

Deichmann SE, based in Essen, was founded in 1913 and is 100 per cent family-owned. As the market leader in European shoe retailing, it is active in over 30 countries worldwide and employs over 49,000 people.

Until its insolvency, Esprit Europe GmbH, based in Ratingen near Düsseldorf, was the fashion group's parent company in Germany, France, Belgium, Austria, the Scandinavian countries, Poland and the UK. The group was active in around 40 countries.

The mandate is headed by ARQIS partner Johannes Landry.

Advisor to Deichmann

ARQIS (Dusseldorf): Johannes Landry (Lead, Insolvency Law)